Craig Erickson International Guitarist

Biography

Craig was born in the heartland of America. With his father being a nationally recognized jazz guitarist and his mother a piano instructor, he was fed a diet of classical and jazz music from an early age.

Craig began playing with his 1 st band at age 13. They covered popular rock tunes, but Craig's interests soon widened to include progressive rock, fusion, funk, and blues. With his new style interests Craig also began mastering a variety of other instruments, including: bass, drums, and keyboards.

By the age of 14, Craig was incorporating all his musical skills and stylings into his own original recordings.

Besides recording relentlessly, Craig spent most of the '80's teaching over 40 students a week in his father's music shop. Through his lesson experience Craig virtually mastered shred guitar, ala Van Halen, Vai, Yngwie, etc.

It was during this time Craig was discovered by both Guitar Magazine editor, John Stix and Shrapnel Records head, Mike Varney. He ultimately signed a 4 record deal with Varney in the early '90's.

His 1 st album, Roadhouse Stomp, was recorded in San Francisco. Within a few months of going home to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, he was flown again to California, this time to collaborate with ex Deep Purple bassist/singer, Glenn Hughes.

Craig co-wrote most of the songs on Glenn's 1 st comeback CD, Glenn Hughes Blues. Musicians from such rock bands as: Great White, Motley Crue, Poison, and Ratt appeared on the album trading riffs with Craig.

The year following the release of Roadhouse Stomp Craig recorded his 2 nd solo CD, Retro Blues Express. Craig flew to Europe soon after that to tour in France for 'Retro and begin rehearsals with Glenn Hughes for a Trapeze reunion tour.

Craig spent a short time touring England and the U.S. with Trapeze before going back to the studio once again for his 3 rd solo release, Two Sides of the Blues. Craig used his international traveling experiences as inspiration for Two Sides of the Blues, which brought him another trip to Paris to tour for the CD.

His final CD for Shrapnel was a funky blues-rocker called Force Majeure. The release enlisted guitar slingers like Chris Duarte and Eugene Gales.

After the release of Force Majeure Craig took a much-needed break to deal with his personal life.

In 2001 Craig came back hard with a dynamic and heavy blues-rock CD, Shine. It was released on Grooveyard Records and used the talents of both Rob Lamothe (ex Riverdogs vocalist) and Glenn Hughes on vocals. In 2002 the European label Mascot/Provogue picked up the CD to sell internationally.

Craig toured Europe twice in 2002 to back Shine and in October 2002 he flew to Canada to record his newest CD Ride with the major vocalist from Shine, Rob Lamothe.

Ride was released worldwide September of 2003 and is a blend of funk, fusion, blues, and rock. It incorporates the amazing talents of the bass/drum duo of Paul Inston and Danny Lockwood (aka 'The Voodoo Bros') as well as legendary keyboardist Richard Bell (bonnie Raitt, Erick Clapton, The Band).

With Craig's soulful shredding guitar and Lamothe's skilled vocals Ride is one of the better albums of its kind in recent history.

It was recorded with a very live 'go for the moment' feel and goes back to the retro feel of Robin Trower, Jimi Hendrix, and Free; but with some futuristic funk and jam band influence added in. Craig is showcased on melodic, jazzy guitar leanings, along with some mean, wah-lead shredding.

Craig is currently playing with several midwestern area groups and writing and planning for several exciting recordings in the near future.

All-in-all Craig is another one of those more than slightly under-rated musicians; whose music escapes the brainwashed ears of the lemming masses. Nonetheless, he is an artist to enjoy for those who make the effort to hear.